Philosophy is disciplined reflection
on some of life’s most interesting and important questions--questions that
arise across the whole range of human experience, particularly those about
the nature of the world, human nature, and the conditions of human
flourishing. Does God exist, and if so, what is God like? Are there objective
moral principles binding on all persons? How can humans attain true
happiness? What do the demands of justice require of me? To what extent, if
any, are humans free? When, if ever, is it morally permissible to take a
human life?

Philosophy’s questions are often life-orienting questions,
the answers to which shape our self-understanding, and sometimes direct our
life’s plans and purposes, making them important questions to address. These
questions are pursued in the distinctive sub-fields of philosophy:
Metaphysics, Epistemology, Ethics, Philosophy of Religion, Philosophy of
Science, Political Philosophy, and Philosophy of Art, among others. These
subject areas of philosophy, by their very subject matter, require that
students think cross-disciplinarily. If, for example, one studies the
philosophy of art, the theory and practice of actual artists must inform
one’s thinking. To ask about the conditions for knowledge requires that one
look at historical, scientific, interpersonal, and other forms of knowledge
as they are pursued in various fields of inquiry.

Philosophy is characterized not just by questions and
concerns it addresses, but also by the distinctive methodologies it employs
to gain insight and understanding about them. Philosophical method often
places special emphasis on:

The History of Philosophy: studying the contributions of
historically significant philosophers.

Language: careful attention to the clear and precise use
of language and an interpretive sensitivity to the meanings of texts.

Logic: facility with the formal structure of arguments
and inference patterns, with an eye to frequently encountered lapses in
logic.

Argument Analysis and Construction: the ability to
evaluate the merits of arguments and assumptions encountered in texts and
everyday discourse, along with the ability to construct arguments that
support our preferred judgments about philosophical issues.

Implications: tracing out the implications and
consequences of various philosophical positions for beliefs, actions and
social policies. This requires, in our College’s context, that students
cultivate a comprehensive understanding of how various philosophical
positions affect and are affected by one’s Christian commitments. This sort
of integrative thinking is constitutive of worldview development.

Why Study Philosophy?

Philosophy deepens and refines a questioning and critical
cast of mind that helps us to understand and evaluate complex and
controversial ideas and perspectives. In particular, philosophical study
fosters skills in critical thinking, argument analysis and construction, the
ability to think independently, creatively, and to form reasonable judgments
about the issues one encounters. It helps us to articulate and defend our
considered judgments orally and in writing, as well as to develop an
integrative vision that enables us to appreciate the ways in which
philosophical concerns touch upon our personal and professional lives, other
academic disciplines, and broader social concerns. These abilities are
crucial transferable skills that can contribute to success in a variety of
career and life contexts. In short, philosophy provides foundations for
thinking across the academic disciplines and hones thinking skills that apply
to nearly all walks of life.

Two Tracks for a Philosophy Major

Students can earn a philosophy degree by completing 32
designated hours of philosophical coursework. Since philosophical questions
are raised across the whole range of human experience, and by our studies in
a variety of academic disciplines, the department offers an “integrated 24
-16 major” that allows students to complete the major by taking 24 hours of
required philosophy courses and 16 hours of designated courses in some
companion discipline. So our majors may combine 24 hours of philosophy and 16
in art, theology, or English, or some other discipline to earn a philosophy
degree. To explore the philosophical questions arising in, say, art, requires
familiarity with the world and works of art. The integrated major allows
students to pursue both interests simultaneously.

Students complete the studies in Faith and Reason general
education requirement in philosophy by taking PHIL 101.
Superior students may request department permission to substitute six hours
from PHIL 216, 226,241, 251, 261,311, 312,
315, 318, 331
or 341 to meet the requirement. Courses numbered 200
to 399 are designed as second courses in philosophy for students in other
departments, as well as for Philosophy majors. Courses numbered in the 400s
are more specialized.

Requirements for a minor in
Philosophy are 20 hours, including PHIL 101 or PHIL 215; 243, 311,
312; and six hours of electives. At least 12 hours of
the 20 must be upper-division.

Philosophy Courses (PHIL)

PHIL 101. Introduction
to Philosophy. Most college age students have heard the names of Plato, Aristotle,
Aquinas, Descartes, Kant, and Nietzsche, among many other famous
philosophers. This first course in philosophy introduces students to the
nature of philosophy, some of its major figures, and some of philosophy’s
central areas of concern, especially those of metaphysics, epistemology, and
ethics. Students learn about philosophical method and argument, and how to
articulate and defend their own philosophical judgments. This course
satisfies the philosophy general education requirement.

PHIL 215.
Contemporary Moral Problems. Explores contemporary moral questions, including:
How do we know when a course of action is right or wrong? Is it ever morally
permissible to lie, or steal, or kill? What rights do people have? Is it
unjust to treat persons differently on the basis of their sex or race? Are
there ethical objections to certain sorts of sexual behavior? What answers
can be given to questions surrounding capital punishment, AIDS, drugs,
euthanasia, abortion, the needy, and the environment? These are a few of the
pressing moral questions faced by reflective people considering the nature of
human life in society. In this course, we will address such questions from
the perspective of moral philosophy, or ethics.

PHIL 216.
Philosophy of the Arts. Examines philosophical issues in the arts, such as the
nature of creativity, the categories of “art” versus “non-art” and “high”
versus “low” art, the responsibility of the artist to the community, the role
of art in society, and the relationships between art and religion. (2)

PHIL 226.
Asian Philosophy. Philosophical traditions in the East have developed
simultaneously with those in the West, albeit until recently with little
demonstrable influence on one another. Philosophical systems arising within
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism represent fascinating alternatives to
those associated with the Hellenic, Roman, and Christian worlds. In this
course we will study philosophies of the East, paying close attention to
their roots in the corresponding religious systems of Asia and their ongoing
relationship to those traditions. We will view them in the comparative light
of both Western philosophical thought and the Hebrew-Christian religious
tradition. Diversity designation. (2)

PHIL 241. Suffering.
“If God
were good, He would wish to make His creatures perfectly happy, and if God
were almighty, He would be able to do what He wished. But the creatures are
not happy. Therefore God lacks either goodness, or power, or both.” That,
C.S. Lewis writes, “is the problem of pain, in its simplest form.” This
course addresses that problem, using Lewis’ Problem of Pain as our
stepping off point and then enriching our theological and philosophical
horizons through readings from, e.g., Rudolph Otto, J. L. Mackie, Alvin
Plantinga, Roderick Chisholm, William Rowe, and Marilyn McCord Adams.
Prerequisite: PHIL
101.

PHIL 243.
Introduction to Logic. This course teaches students to identify, analyze,
and assess the sorts of arguments one encounters in philosophical texts and
in everyday life, such as op-ed pieces, policy papers, and political writing.
The course places special emphasis on constructing and refining arguments in
order to draw appropriate conclusions in support of one’s own beliefs.
Classical syllogistic arguments and other formal argument structures receive
attention, as do the common fallacies of reasoning. This is an excellent
course to enhance your critical thinking and writing abilities. (2)

PHIL 244.
Symbolic Logic. This sequel to PHIL 243 focuses on the form or structure of valid deductive
arguments, and the simple and compound sentences that form them. It analyzes
the rules of deductive inference, replacement rules, and how to translate
ordinary English sentences into their symbolic equivalent. Proving the
validity or invalidity of arguments in Sentential Logic, Predicate Logic, and
Quantified Predicate Logic comprises a major portion of the course. Like math
courses, this class has problems and proofs that students will work through
in class and as homework. Prerequisite: PHIL 243 or permission of
instructor. (2)

PHIL 251.
Global Justice. People around the world suffer hunger, oppression, from poor health,
and many other causes. Is this merely misfortune or is it injustice? We will
consider the main issues of global justice, such as whether one can speak of
justice in a global context rather than simply within societies, the role of
international human rights, the proper response to global economic
inequalities, the morality of international conflict, and international
environmental justice. Prerequisite: PHIL 101. Diversity designation.

PHIL 281. Philosophy
& Postmodernity. People often think there is something called
“postmodernism.” There isn’t. Instead, there are various postmodern thinkers,
some of whom turn out to be people with a deep Christian faith. In this
course, we read some of the (in)famous figures, such as Jacques Derrida and
Richard Rorty. But we will also read the Jewish thinker Emmanuel Levinas and
Jean-Luc Marion and Jean-Louis Chrétien, who are deeply Christian in their
thinking and have radically changed the philosophical landscape.
Prerequisite: PHIL
101.

PHIL 311.
History of Philosophy: Ancient & Medieval. Ancient and medieval
philosophers often worked to cultivate a deep sense of gratitude for that
which they had inherited and out of which they built, while also being
creative thinkers in their own rights. This course looks at a few of the
major thinkers and texts from the nearly 2000 year period stretching from the
beginnings of Western philosophy in 585 BC to the opening years of the
European Renaissance. It traces common problems and themes that receive ongoing
attention throughout this period, such as: the problems of the one and the
many, the nature of the cosmos, the existence of God, the relationship
between faith and reason, the problem of universals, the nature of the soul,
and others. Prerequisite: PHIL 101 or permission of instructor.

PHIL 312.
History of Philosophy: Modern & Contemporary. This course, like PHIL 311, is dedicated to an
overview of Western philosophy. In this semester, we look at modern and
contemporary philosophy, beginning with the Renaissance rejection of
scholasticism, moving through 17th and 18th century
rationalists and empiricist, the Kantian synthesis, 19th century
responses to Kant, and several major 20th century schools, including
phenomenology, logical positivism, analytic philosophy, and pragmatism.
Prerequisite: PHIL
101
or permission of instructor.

PHIL 315.
Philosophy of Religion. Is there a God, and if so, what is he like? Can God’s
existence be established by philosophical argument? These are among Western
philosophy’s oldest questions. The philosophy of religion course explores
philosophical concerns arising out of theism in general and Christian theism
in particular. Topics include: the reasonableness of belief in God, God’s
nature, the problem of suffering, the problem of divine foreknowledge and
human freedom, religious experience, religious pluralism, and more. Course
readings touch mainly on contemporary authors, though students also read many
historically important figures.

PHIL 317.
Biomedical Ethics. An interdisciplinary consideration of ethical issues
in the biological and health sciences with an emphasis on those related to
medicine, including issues in biotechnology, such as genetic engineering, end
of life issues, abortion, human experimentation, and the role of race and
gender in medical treatment and research. Prerequisites: PHIL 101 or 215, and 4 hr lab course
in the Studies in Nature cluster. Diversity
designation. (2 lin)

PHIL 318.
Philosophy of Law. What is law? What separates law from mere orders
backed by threats? Ought judges to “make” law, or only to interpret it? Is
punishment justified, and if so, for what purpose? When should people be held
responsible for their actions? What rights should defendants have? What goals
of justice should the law serve? Are ordinary moral obligations suspended for
the lawyer in performance of his or her duties? These are a few of the
questions arising out of the attempt to understand the nature and role of law
and legal systems in society.

PHIL 319.
Political Philosophy. Examines some of the major issues and concepts in
political philosophy, including political authority, freedom and coercion,
civil disobedience, and justice, as construed in the liberal, Marxist,
communitarian, and feminist traditions. (2)

PHIL 328. Business Ethics. Corporations and the
economy in the US and elsewhere are reeling from the effects of an
unprecedented series of moral scandals. What ethical guidelines must be put
in place to reestablish confidence in the integrity of business? Some of the
questions are: is it ethical to pay bribes in foreign countries, or to go
along with their treatment of people when those ways are seen as unjust in
our society? What are the ethical obligations of truth telling in the context
of business negotiations or advertising? What rights do employees have, and
how can businesses best respect these rights? What is the proper place of
capitalistic institutions in a just society? What is ‘fair treatment’ for
women and minorities in business? In this course, we will have a brief survey
of basic ethical concepts and general moral theory, and then discuss a
variety of ethical issues that arise in the areas of business and work. The
general orientation will be towards an integration of the theoretical with
the practical. Taught jointly with the Business Economics Department. (2)

PHIL 331. Science
and Christian Belief. This course looks at the nature of scientific
reasoning, and how philosophers of science answer questions of knowledge and
reality, with specific interest in the post-positivist, post-modern critiques
of scientific presumption to knowledge. Special attention is devoted to the
sometimes-troubled relationship between science and Christian belief, as
these arise from contemporary accounts of the origins of the cosmos and
evolutionary theory. This is an excellent course for science majors and
philosophy double majors, though it does not presume any specific knowledge
or even competency in the sciences. Prerequisite: PHIL 101.

PHIL 341.
Nature of Persons. Starting with P.F. Strawson’s seminal work on the
reactive attitudes, this course explores what it means to be a created person
by working through various interpretations and crucial questions concerning
our reactive attitudes (e.g., Is distinctively human life possible without
these attitudes? Should we quench our retributive attitudes?), which prompts
us to follow Harry Frankfurt in posing questions about the structure of
created personhood, and then leads us to conclude the course with questions
from Charles Taylor and Richard Rorty about the world of persons. Additional
readings from, e.g., Gary Watson, Nietzsche, Rawls, Dennett, and Camus.

PHIL 347.
Topics in Philosophy. A study of a contemporary philosopher or
philosophical development of cross disciplinary importance. Suitable for non-majors
who have already taken PHIL 101. Topics include: Philosophical Theology, Language
and Thought, Feminist Philosophy. (2 or 4)

PHIL 447. Advanced
Topics in Philosophy. A study of a contemporary philosopher or
philosophical development of cross-disciplinary importance. Suitable for
philosophy majors or those having taken at least one semester of the history
of philosophy (PHIL
311, 312). Topics include:
Philosophical Hermeneutics, Virtue Ethics, Philosophy of Mind, Phenomenology,
Aesthetic Theory. (2 or 4)

PHIL 455. Historical
Seminar. Explores
the writings of key historical figures from the following four periods in the
history of philosophy: ancient, medieval, modern, and 19th century
or contemporary philosophy. Each semester offers a different historical
seminar, with all four periods being offered in a four-semester rotation.

PHIL 494-1.
Epistemology. Surely, among the most distinctive features of humans are their
cognitive powers and the knowledge they make possible: historical, empirical,
apriori, interpersonal, moral, and religious knowledge, among others. Epistemology,
or the theory of knowledge, explores knowledge and related intellectual goods
such as understanding, rationality, and experiential acquaintance. It
investigates human intellectual powers, the extent of their reach, and
whether these powers must follow a particular method or be trained to certain
intellectual habits to be used to greatest effect. Typical questions asked by
epistemologists include: What are the nature and limits of human knowledge?
What conditions must we satisfy in order to know or to have justified belief?
What intellectual virtues characterize excellent intellectual agents? Do the
arguments of skeptics show that we don’t have knowledge or justified belief?
While this course focuses on more contemporary discussions, we will also
discuss the epistemologies of many historically significant philosophers. Prerequisites:
PHIL 311 and 312.

PHIL
494-2. Contemporary Metaphysics. This course takes a careful look at a number of
pressing (and enduring) philosophical issues. We begin with the
methodological question of realism and truth: can we in fact discern the
hidden nature of reality? If so, how? We then look at various proposals as to
the nature of persons, including questions of mind and body, free will and
determinism, and personal identity. In addition to a fairly comprehensive
survey of such topics as these, we will spend some weeks near the end of the
semester looking at book-length treatment by a contemporary philosopher
focusing in one or the other of these areas. Prerequisites: PHIL 311 and 312.

PHIL
494-3. Ethical Theory. The nature of ethical theory is a vigorously
contested issue in philosophy today, and one that has very significant
practical implications for society. What is the status of the moral
principles of the Hebrew-Christian moral tradition? Can they be defended and
argued on the basis of reason and common human experience, or are they only
“house rules” for those particular communities that have religious
allegiances? Can we still talk today of a “common morality”, accessible in
principle to all people in society, that can be the basis of law and policy?
Should ethical reflection be conducted in terms of action guiding precepts
or ideals of moral character? Are questions of right and wrong capable
of being decided on rational grounds? How, if at all, can rival moral
judgments be established as true over competitors? How are moral principles
to be applied in concrete situations? Such questions are but a few of those
that arise in moral philosophy, questions that have occupied a great part of
the energies of the West’s leading philosophers since Socrates. This course
is an advanced undergraduate seminar course in ethical theory.

PHIL 494-4.
Christianity and Postmodernity. An assessment of the postmodern critique of
traditional Western metaphysical, epistemological, and religious claims in
the light of the Christian faith. Includes thinkers such as Chrétien, Derrida, Heidegger, Henry, Husserl, Levinas,
and Marion.

PHIL 495.
Independent Study. Guided reading and research for the advanced
student. (1-4)

PHIL 499.
Honors Thesis. An independent philosophical project requiring original research
and/or argumentation, developed in a scholarly paper and culminating in an
oral examination. By application only.